Re: Coffee Berry -Rhamnus californica
- To: MEDIT-PLANTS@ucdavis.edu
- Subject: Re: Coffee Berry -Rhamnus californica
- From: S* Y*
- Date: Wed, 29 Sep 1999 08:34:12 -0700
I bought a dwarf cultivar of Rhamnus californica from Yerba Buena Nursery a
couple of years ago. I first put it against a fence where it got lots of
afternoon sun. It stayed alive but was not happy there. Then I moved it
under our plum tree where it began to thrive. Being a dwarf, it's only
reached 2 feet tall but is about 4 feet wide. Very beautiful dark green
leaves with reddish stems. Some critter is taking small bites out of it
but the bush doesn't seem to mind. R. californica is also a food plant for
Swallowtail butterfly larvae.
This cultivar is much more compact than the wild ones in the hills which
can reach 6-7 feet tall and equally wide. Also, the leaves seem thicker
with a slightly ripple edge where as the wild ones around here tend to have
thinner leaves with no apparent ripple.
Another Rhamnus native called Redberry, Rhamnus crocea, would also make an
attractive garden plant with its bright red berries but I've never seen it
in a garden. Has anyone tried growing it?
Unfortunately, we lost our lease and have just moved. I was able to move
the huckleberry (Vaccinum ovata ?) but the coffeeberry is just too big.
Sunia Yang
Menlo Park, California
